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The formative convention in Monterey wasn't the only political gathering taking place on this day 150 years ago. In Washington DC, former president John Tyler had called for a convention of the six border slave states, along with six free states, to come up with a solution to the secession crisis. Opening the same day as the Montgomery convention began, it was called the Peace Convention. On February 6th, they decided that the thing to do was to name a committee to draft a peace proposal.
This committee needed three weeks to complete their work, which turned out to be a seven point program that looked nearly identical to the Crittenden Compromise, except all the proposals were watered down to try and make them acceptable to Republicans. The convention then voted 9 to 8, to accept the committee's report.
And neither the Republicans nor the secessionsists paid any attention to it at all. When it reached the US Senate for approval, it was voted down 28 to 7.
150 years ago today the Confederate States of America came into official being as a provisional constitution was adopted by the convention in Montgomery. As with the permanent constitution which was to later replace it, it was mostly a replication of the existing US constitution, with of course a few alterations concerning state sovereignty and slave property rights. They were to have a bicameral legislature with a Senate and a House, they even forbid international slave trading as did the US constitution.
Interestingly, in a short while the South would be pointing toward Lincoln's actions in securing the border states where he suspended the right of habeas corpus in the name of a national emergency, and calling him a tyrant for doing so. Yet in their constitution, you find:
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The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it.
The right to own and sell slaves was covered rather simply by:
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No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law denying or impairing the right of property in negro slaves, shall be passed.
I was pressed for time when writing the previous post, but I wanted to introduce what I find to be the most fascinating aspect of the Confederate Constitution.
Here is the CSA preamble:
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We, the people of the Confederate States, each State acting in its sovereign and independent character, in order to form a permanent federal government, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity-invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God-do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Confederate States of America.
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
In the CSA preamble, it reads..."in order to form a permanent federal government"
In the USA preamble, it reads..."in order to form a more perfect union."
So....the CSA, which claimed the right of secession based on the absense any language in the US constitution which prohibited it, spelled out in their constitution that their union was to be perpetual, and as such, of course no state had a right to leave on its own volition.
I notice that the CSA Preamble also leaves out the phrases "provide for the common defense" and "promote the general welfare".
I must suppose that these two matters were presumed to be the affairs of each state, acting in its sovereign and independent character.
One of the areas of ongoing dispute between the sections had been the northern desire to use the federal government for internal improvement projects such as railroads, canals etc. The Southerners had had been in continuous opposition to such measures, so "promoting the general welfare" was not something which they wanted their central government to do.
150 years ago today, the newly birthed Confederacy unanimously elected a provisional president and vice president, Jefferson Davis and Alexander H. Stephens. Their provisional terms expired in November when a general election would be held. Davis and Stephens of course won that election and the offices were good for six year terms. They had two years to go when their nation suddenly went out of business.
Davis was a West Point graduate and a hero of the Mexican war. Davis had fallen in love with the daughter of Zachary Taylor, and depite Old Rough and Ready's disapproval, they married in 1835. Three months after the wedding, both Davis and his bride contracted malaria while in Louisiana. Davis barely survived, his wife did not.
Davis spent eight years as a recluse in reaction, but came out of it and decided to enter politics, getting elected to Congress in 1844. The following year he married again to Varina Howell. The couple had six children, but only one of them lived to adulthood.
The Mexican War saw Davis rejoining the army, and serving under his former father in law, Zachary Taylor. Davis' conduct at the battle of Buena Vista made him a hero, and also finally redeemed him in Taylor's eyes. Davis converted his celebrity into an advancement in politics, getting appointed to replace Mississippi's Senate seat made vacant by the death of Jesse Speight. Davis then won the office outright in the 1848 election.
In 1853, President Pierce tapped Davis to be his Secretary of War. When Pierce left office, Davis ran for the Senate once more, and won again. He held that office until Mississippi's secession, and then promptly resigned.
150 years ago today, Jefferson Davis, home on his plantation near Vicksburg, received the news that he had been selected as the provisional president of the infant Confederacy. Davis was not happy about this, he had envisioned himself being tabbed for general in chief of the Confederate forces. However, he was a man of duty and without public complaint, he accepted the office bestowed upon him and wrote in his diary:
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I feel as if I was struck by a lightning bolt. As Varina and I worked in the
Rose Garden this morning, a messenger arrived. Here are the contents of the
letter which he presented to me:
"Sir:
We are directed to inform you that you are this day unanimously elected
President of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of America, and to request you to come to Montgomery immediately. "
I cannot believe it. "President Davis!" My fellow Southerners have formed a
government and found me worthy to run it. I must leave to Montgomery,
Alabama tomorrow. Montgomery is the temporary capital of our newly founded country. With God on my side, I will succeed. Here I go.
That conception of Davis', that what he loved and hated, God also so much loved and hated, that Davis would be receiving divine aid, is an interesting contrast to how Lincoln approached the same idea. Abe said:
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Pray not that God is on our side, but that we are on God's side
150 years ago today, president elect Abraham Lincoln left his home in Springfield, Illinois to travel to Washington and assume his duties. It was the last time Lincoln would see his home, a possibility he anticipated in his farewell remarks.
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My friends, no one, not in my situation, can appreciate my feeling of sadness at this parting. To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything. Here I have lived a quarter of a century, and have passed from a young to an old man. Here my children have been born, and one is buried. I now leave, not knowing when, or whether ever, I may return, with a task before me greater than that which rested upon Washington. Without the assistance of the Divine Being who ever attended him, I cannot succeed. With that assistance I cannot fail. Trusting in Him who can go with me, and remain with you, and be everywhere for good, let us confidently hope that all will yet be well. To His care commending you, as I hope in your prayers you will commend me, I bid you an affectionate farewell.
Before Lincoln and Washington's birthdays were merged into one presidents day holiday, more people were familiar with Lincoln's birth date....February 12th. Lincoln turned 52 years old the day after he took his leave from Springfield.
Bu coincidence, February 11th is also the day that the newly elected provisional president of the CSA, left his Mississippi home to travel to Montgomery and assume the duties of his office.
February 11th was also the 49th birthday of newly elected provisional vice president, Alexander Stephens.
Following the elections of Davis and Stephens to the provisional presidency and vice-presidency, the provisional Confederate congress votes to allow the seizure of Fort Sumter (SC) and Fort Pickens (FL) by force.
Interestingly enough, Fort Pickens had already been attacked by local Floridians during the night of January 8th, 1861. The locals dispersed only after the fort's guards fired on them. These are considered by some to be the first shots fired in the Civil War.
Fort Pickens would remain controlled by the United States throughout the entire war.
President elect Abraham Lincoln's journey from Springfield, Illinois to Washington DC was not a direct route. It was designed to pass through as many of the major cities in between as possible, with Lincoln being met by large and enthusiastic crowds at each stop. 150 years ago today he was in Buffalo, NY, where a crowd estimated at 75,000 mobbed the hotel where Lincoln was staying. He was met by former president Millard Fillmore who gave Lincoln a carriage ride from the train station to the hotel.
As usual, the crowd wanted to hear Lincoln speak on the subject of secession, but Lincoln was deliberately saying as little as possible about the matter, so as not to commit himself to an inflexible course of action once he assumed office. Lincoln may have been America's greatest orator, but on this trip he was delivering little more than mush. In Buffalo he told the crowd:
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When we speak of threatened difficulties to the country, it is natural that there should be expected from me something with regard to particular measures. Upon more mature reflection, however, others will agree with me that when it is considered these difficulties are without precedent, and have never been acted upon by any individual situated as I am, it is most proper I should wait, see the developments, and get all the light I can, so that when I do speak authoritatively I may be as near right as possible. When I shall speak authoritatively, I hope to say nothing inconsistent with the Constitution, the Union, the rights of all the States, of each State, and of each section of the country, and not to disappoint the reasonable expectations of those who have confided to me their votes.
Elsewhere on this same day, General David Twiggs, who had been among the highest ranking officers during the Mexican War, was now commanding the Department of Texas. He was in San Antonio with about 200 soldiers, when 2000 Texas militiamen descended upon his fort and demanded its surrender.
Twiggs was from Georgia, was anticipating high command in the Confederate forces, and he cooperated with the secessionists, surrendering without a struggle of any sort. For this action, Twiggs was dismissed from the US army and charged with treason. He was made a major general in the Confederate forces, and was given the command of the Department of Louisiana. However, rebel glory was not to be for Twiggs, he became ill that fall and lingered until July of 1862 when he died of pneumonia.
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